When I lived in the Los Angeles area, ages ago, there was a wonderful ‘fast food’ place called Pioneer Chicken. It was, to this day, the best chicken I’ve ever tasted! It was crispy like no other, and I am not the only one who felt this way. So, I went searching for copycat recipes. After having tried many recipes, this one is a family hit. Can’t really call it Pioneer, so we dubbed it Hollywood Chicken.
Ingredients:
- 1 Whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 1 Cup cornstarch, ¼ cup reserved for coating
- ¼ Cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 ½ Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 3 Cups of peanut oil
- ¾ Cup water
Directions:
- Mix the dry ingredients, except ¼ cup cornstarch that you reserved.
- Add water and whisk.
- Put the reserved cornstarch in a shallow pan and coat on the sliced chicken.
- Completely dip corn starch coated chicken in the wet batter.
- Drain on a rack for a few seconds.
- Fry in 350-degree oil for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through.
- Drain cooked chicken on metal racks to allow it to crisp.
- Serve with your favorite sides.
Enjoy!
